Technology
OpenAI faces new lawsuits over Tumbler Ridge mass shooting tragedy
OpenAI is facing another wave of lawsuits in the wake of the February mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge in Canada's province of British Columbia, which left eight people dead. On Wednesday, 30 new complaints were reportedly filed in a United States federal court in California, including teachers and students who were witnesses and survivors at the school where most of the shooting took place, joining seven initial lawsuits filed in April. The suits, brought by lawyer Jay Edelson, allege that the company knew about the intentions of the 18-year-old shooter who, in her interactions with OpenAI's chatbot ChatGPT, had described scenarios involving gun violence, but that the leadership did not report their concerns to law enforcement, echoing earlier lawsuits on the matter. In April, Altman penned a letter to the community apologising that the company did not alert law enforcement about the shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar. "While I know words can never be enough, I believe an apology is necessary to recognize the harm and irreversible loss your community has suffered," Altman wrote in the letter.
Whistleblower: USPSs new ballot screening system isnt ready
Creator Playbook Trending Now Say More Look Up Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Switch Off Mashable Voices Mashable Selects Safety Net Versus Gift Ideas For Everyone On Your List In My Bag All Series A disclosure alleges USPS rushed an untested ballot-screening tool that can reject thousands of votes over a single error. Chance Townsend is the General Assignments Editor at Mashable, covering tech, video games, dating apps, digital culture, and whatever else comes his way. He has a Master's in Journalism from the University of North Texas and is a proud orange cat father. His writing has also appeared in PC Mag and . A whistleblower working inside the United States Postal Service (USPS) has told Congress that a brand-new system for screening mail-in ballots -- built in a matter of months, against the advice of the agency's own staff -- is so rushed and untested that it risks mass rejection of legitimate ballots just as the 2026 midterms approach.
Is Meta finally backing a federal kids safety bill, or is it all PR?
Creator Playbook Trending Now Say More Look Up Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Switch Off Mashable Voices Mashable Selects Safety Net Versus Gift Ideas For Everyone On Your List In My Bag All Series Is Meta finally backing a federal kids safety bill, or is it all PR? Some say the company is sending mixed messages about kids' safety. Chase joined Mashable's Social Good team in 2020, covering online stories about digital activism, climate justice, accessibility, and media representation. A group of parents called out comments by a Meta official backing industry regulation. In the aftermath of Meta's recent $17 billion settlement, the culmination of a litigious debate over its alleged role in social media addiction and youth mental health, all attention was on the platform's promises.
Trump administration sides with OpenAI in lawsuit against New York Times
OpenAI chief executive officer Sam Altman speaks at the G20 innovation ministerial summit in North Carolina on Wednesday. OpenAI chief executive officer Sam Altman speaks at the G20 innovation ministerial summit in North Carolina on Wednesday. The Times accuses OpenAI and its largest financial backer, Microsoft, of using millions of newspaper articles without permission to train OpenAI's popular chatbot. Other newspapers have joined in the suit, first filed in 2023. A brief has advisory rather than legal weight but could bolster tech companies as they fight the claims.
Mamdani Issues AI Moratorium In NYC Schools
Kids "need to wrestle with tough problems on their own," New York's mayor said Wednesday. Mayor Zohran Mamdani holds a press conference to announce a one-year moratorium on student AI usage in NYC public schools. Get your news from a source that's not owned and controlled by oligarchs. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a one-year moratorium on AI use for elementary and middle school students on Wednesday. The decision, which comes a week before New York City public schools begin the year, "includes all software that uses student-facing generative AI." Elementary and middle school students--about 600,000 students in total--will Companion chatbots will also be prohibited for all grade levels. The city is also introducing biannual AI critical thinking training for high schoolers that cover determining what is and is not AI, impacts on careers and future skills, and AI-related biases, among others, along with limited pilot programs for a few classes per high school that incorporate AI tools into students' learning "under the direct supervision of a trained educator."
US judge rejects bid to break up Google's ad business
US judge rejects bid to break up Google's ad business Share US judge rejects bid to break up Google's ad business on social media Alphabet's Google has escaped a breakup of its advertising technology business, marking the third time in recent years that United States antitrust enforcers have tried to force a Big Tech breakup and lost. US Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday declined to make Google sell AdX, where publishers pay Google a 20 percent fee to sell ads in auctions that happen instantly when users load websites. The judge accepted behavioural remedies. The reasoning behind today's decision was not immediately made public. Brinkema filed her opinion under seal for 14 days, leaving the details of how Google must change its ad business unknown for now.
Restroom Archive gives public bathrooms their due
More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. Anyone can contribute using a LIDAR-based smartphone app. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy . People generally want to spend as little time as possible in a public restroom .